In Alberta, you may only have a driver’s licence or identification card, not both.If you have a driver’s licence, it also acts as your identification card.
If you are a student, you do not need to exchange your license for the duration of your studies. If you are a visitor, or do not plan on permanently living in Alberta, you may use a valid driver’s licence from your home jurisdiction for up to one year.
The following Class 1 licences from other jurisdictions can be exchanged for an Alberta Class 1 without any further training:
Any holder of an out of province class 1 driver’s licence that has been expired for 3 years or more must pass a MELT knowledge and road exam. If you fail one of the two tests on your first try you will be required to take the MELT course prior to trying the test again
| BC | Class 1 with ELT Designation |
| MB | Class 1 with ELT Designation |
| ON | Class A licence |
| QC | 1 with a Diploma of Vocational Studies (DEP) in truck transportation. Please read below for examples of a Diploma of Vocational Studies |
| SK | Class 1 with ELT Designation |
| All other Canadian Jurisdictions | Class 1 | If you have held the class 1 license for greater than 24 months, no training is required. |
| If you have held your Class 1 licence for 12–24 months, you must take both a knowledge and a road test. If you do not pass the knowledge test on your first attempt, you will need to apply for the Experience and Equivalency Program. | ||
| If you have held your Class 1 licence for less than 12 months, you will need to enrol in and pass the Class 1 learning pathway courses, as well as pass a Class 1 knowledge and road test. |
| UA | Class: CE | If you have more than five years of Class CE driving experience within the last 10 years, you must pass a knowledge and road test but do not need to complete any additional training. |
| If you have two to five years of class CE driving experience within the last 10 years you must apply and pass the Experience and Equivalency Program and then take a knowledge and road exam. | ||
| If you have less than two years of Class CE driving experience within the last 10 years, you are required to complete the Class 1 Learning Pathway courses and then pass a knowledge and road test. |
At Alberta Registries you may be asked to prove your legal entitlement in Canada. Legal entitlement in Canada is granted to Canadian citizens, permanent residents and those with a valid visitor visa or work/study permit. To prove your legal entitlement in Canada you will be asked to present documents that show your status in Canada. For example, if you are a Canadian citizen, you can show your Canadian birth certificate, Canadian passport or Canadian citizenship card or certificate. A permanent resident in Canada can show their permanent resident card, confirmation document or letter. Temporary residents may show the visa or permit issued by the government of Canada. An Indian Status certificate or card issued by the Federal government can also be used to support legal entitlement.
At Alberta Registries you may be asked to show proof of your residency in Alberta. This is intended to ensure that Alberta Registry services are being provided to Alberta residents. Acceptable documents to prove residency in Alberta are unexpired Alberta driver’s licences or identification cards, home insurance, mortgage or rental agreements, recent utility bills, LAN phoneline bills, or mailed credit card/bank statements or cell phone bills. These documents must show your current address in Alberta and contain your full name.
If you are from another province in Canada and have a current driver’s licence from that province, you have 90 days to exchange it for an Alberta driver’s licence.
You will need:
If you are exchanging a Class 1 driver’s licence from another province, you will be subject to Alberta’s commercial driver training policies. Please click here to find out more information about exchanging a Class 1 driver’s licence. click for more information
The process to exchange your Out of Country driver’s licence in Alberta depends on the country your licence is from and whether there is a reciprocal agreement.
Reciprocal Agreement Countries – Driver’s Licence
(You may only exchange for a class 5 driver’s licence in Alberta (non -commercial licence) if you have a commercial licence it will be declassed to a class 5, you will be required to re-test for all commercial licenses in Alberta. Some countries allow you to keep your motorcycle license they are listed below.)
Class 5 Licence
These countries’ licences are typically accepted for Class 5 in Canada:
Class 5 Licence (with 24+ months driving experience)
If you can prove over 24 months of driving history, the following countries’ licences are also accepted:
Class 6 Licence
These countries’ licences are accepted for Class 6 (motorcycles, mopeds, etc.) in Canada:
If your country is listed above, then you may present:
If the issuing country of your license is not listed in Reciprocal Agreement Countries – Driver’s Licence link and is not from the US or Ukraine it is considered a non-reciprocal license. When your country of origin lacks a reciprocal licensing agreement with Canada, then you must apply for a driver’s licence as a new applicant. That means you must apply for a learner’s permit and then take a driving examination. Study material for the knowledge test can be found here:
To write the knowledge test you will come into the office with the following:
Please make sure you arrive at New Urban Registry at least 1 hour prior to closing (we stop testing at that point to allow our clients to finish in time).
Once you pass the knowledge test, we will issue you a class 7 (learners) driver’s licence and submit your non-reciprocal driver’s licence for approval from the government. Your Out of Country Licence will not be returned to you. The approval process takes about 3 weeks. During this time, you will not be able to drive alone and will need to follow all rules required of a class 7 driver.
After 3 weeks you may call us to ask if you have received approval, once you have you may book a road test here (direct to page on site for road test bookings: book a road test ). Once you have passed your road test you will be issued a class 5 or class 5 GDL licence depending on the credited driving history.
